Jennifer Freed

Jennifer Freed, Ph.D, M.F.T. is a psychological astrologer who believes that your cosmic DNA serves as a roadmap for your life. Even when we are experiencing oppression from our societies, if we learn to embrace our past traumas, use our unique gifts to create change, and incorporate movement into our day each day, we can make joyful choices that allow us to show up for ourselves and others during times of hardship.

A Lesson On Creating Joy with Jennifer Freed

Sarah Gaither

“What are you?” It’s a question Dr. Sarah Gaither was asked a child growing up mixed race. Now she studies the effects of that question and others related to identity at Duke University's Identity &amp; Diversity Lab. In this episode on belonging, we talk about identity denial, identity accessibility, and why she’s using her own multiracial identity to help create a more inclusive world.

A Lesson On Belonging with Dr. Sarah Gaither

Louann Brizendine

Dr. Louann Brizendine was among the first to explain why women think, communicate, and feel differently than men. Now she’s on a mission to rebrand the “M" word: Menopause.

A Lesson On Seizing Your Upgrade with Dr. Louann Brizendine

Ronit Plank's mother left to follow the Indian mystic, some would say cult leader Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (also known as Osho) when she was five years old. Through the process of writing her memoir, When She Comes Back, Plank rewrote her definition of forgiveness.

Ronit Plank's mother left to follow the Indian mystic, some would say cult leader Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (also known as Osho) when she was five years old. Through the process of writing her memoir, When She Comes Back, Plank rewrote her definition of forgiveness.

A Lesson On Forgiveness with Ronit Plank

Dana Marlowe

Dana Marlowe turned a moment into a movement. What began with the question, “What can I do with my old bras?” led to the creation of I Support the Girls, a national non-profit organization that provides a source of dignity, self-esteem, empowerment, and support to marginalized women via the donation of bras and menstrual hygiene products. As a human rights advocate in the intersections of feminism, menstrual equality, health, and dignity, Dana works tirelessly to better the lives of the most invisible populations.

A Lesson On Turning a Moment Into a Movement with Dana Marlowe

Brandy Gueary

Brandy G. of Authentically B wants everyone to know that it’s ok to be you. Because when you do, the divine might just present you with your heart’s desires. The moment Brandy decided to be visible as her authentic self was the moment that her transition from full-time school teacher to model and lifestyle influencer unfolded. And she’s owning it.

Brandy G. of Authentically B wants everyone to know that it’s ok to be you. Because when you do, the divine might just present you with your heart’s desires. The moment Brandy decided to be visible as her authentic self was the moment that her transition from full-time school teacher to model and lifestyle influencer unfolded. And she’s owning it.

A Lesson In Being You with Brandy Gueary

Kristen Richardson

Kristen Richardson comes from a long line of debutantes but she chose not to debut. In this, “Lesson on the Unwritten History of Women”, find out why curiosity drove her to research this enduring tradition and why the role debutantes play in a family’s story, is much more complicated than it seems.

A Lesson On the Unwritten History of Women with Kristen Richardson

Mara Smith

Seventeen years after Mara Smith left her career as an attorney to raise her family, she's back full force not only with the valuable skills she learned as a mother but with the drive to start a successful Tequilla brand in the spirits industry. Got a great idea for our next episode? Nominate a guest or send us a note to  hello@voicelessonspodcast.com

Seventeen years after Mara Smith left her career as an attorney to raise her family, she's back full force not only with the valuable skills she learned as a mother but with the drive to start a successful Tequilla brand in the spirits industry. Got a great idea for our next episode? Nominate a guest or send us a note to  <a href="mailto:hello@voicelessonspodcast.com">hello@voicelessonspodcast.com</a>

A Lesson On Why It's Never Too Late with Mara Smith

Nicole Crowder

Following her intuition, Nicole Crowder made a transition from full-time photo editor to pursue her true calling in upholstery and furniture design. In this lesson on Soul Work, we talk about her brand new collaboration with World Market, her practice of slow creation and why using her lineage to tell a story through her work creates pieces that are generational.  How Nicole’s photo editing career opened her up creatively to different arts.  Nicole’s transition to upholstery was non-linear and allowed her to adapt, grow and change. The difference between intuition and ego. Nicole’s slow creation ethos. Why Nicole's vision is to create generational pieces that can be passed down and turned into heirlooms. How her career trajectory shifted when she started having a bigger conversation about how to serve through her work. Forming partnerships that are mutually exclusive but also ones that will help share and amplify your larger message.  Nicole's collaboration with World Market. What are you leaving behind? Nicole's mission to highlight the work of Black designers and Black history through her partnerships. Recognizing vehicles for reducing waste in the design industry. Being clear with what you love and what's important to you. Women's leadership is about nuance and a combination of experiences and every culture reflects those differently. 

Following her intuition, Nicole Crowder made a transition from full-time photo editor to pursue her true calling in upholstery and furniture design. In this lesson on Soul Work, we talk about her brand new collaboration with World Market, her practice of slow creation and why using her lineage to tell a story through her work creates pieces that are generational. <ul> <li>How Nicole’s photo editing career opened her up creatively to different arts. </li> <li>Nicole’s transition to upholstery was non-linear and allowed her to adapt, grow and change.</li> <li>The difference between intuition and ego.</li> <li>Nicole’s slow creation ethos.</li> <li>Why Nicole's vision is to create generational pieces that can be passed down and turned into heirlooms.</li> <li>How her career trajectory shifted when she started having a bigger conversation about how to serve through her work.</li> <li>Forming partnerships that are mutually exclusive but also ones that will help share and amplify your larger message. </li> <li>Nicole's collaboration with World Market.</li> <li>What are you leaving behind?</li> <li>Nicole's mission to highlight the work of Black designers and Black history through her partnerships.</li> <li>Recognizing vehicles for reducing waste in the design industry.</li> <li>Being clear with what you love and what's important to you.</li> <li>Women's leadership is about nuance and a combination of experiences and every culture reflects those differently.</li> </ul>

A Lesson On Soul Work With Nicole Crowder

Katie Keating

One in four Americans is a woman over 40. Katie Keating co-founded Fancy Inc., a 100% women-owned, operated, and focused advertising agency to help advertisers speak to them. In this lesson on “doing it anyway,” she talks about her mission, the 3%, and why women need to harness the power they possess as consumers to change the culture. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:  Katie’s journey to forming Fancy. At the time Katie got into advertising, only 3% of Creative Directors were women. Why Katie decided to quit her well-paying agency job to gain more control over her career. The hardest thing about starting your own agency, according to Katie. Why women are faced with “aging out” of their careers as they get older. Is the female competition still a thing? The article Katie wrote about women over 40 that went viral, and the response it received. How women can harness their purchasing power to affect the kind of change that they want to see in the world. 80% of women make the household purchasing decisions. Women’s resistance when talking about money and finances. How do you encourage brands to take the leap and have a conversation with women in a more inclusive way? 

One in four Americans is a woman over 40. Katie Keating co-founded Fancy Inc., a 100% women-owned, operated, and focused advertising agency to help advertisers speak to them. In this lesson on “doing it anyway,” she talks about her mission, the 3%, and why women need to harness the power they possess as consumers to change the culture. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: <ul> <li>Katie’s journey to forming Fancy.</li> <li>At the time Katie got into advertising, only 3% of Creative Directors were women.</li> <li>Why Katie decided to quit her well-paying agency job to gain more control over her career.</li> <li>The hardest thing about starting your own agency, according to Katie.</li> <li>Why women are faced with “aging out” of their careers as they get older.</li> <li>Is the female competition still a thing?</li> <li>The article Katie wrote about women over 40 that went viral, and the response it received.</li> <li>How women can harness their purchasing power to affect the kind of change that they want to see in the world.</li> <li>80% of women make the household purchasing decisions.</li> <li>Women’s resistance when talking about money and finances.</li> <li>How do you encourage brands to take the leap and have a conversation with women in a more inclusive way?</li> </ul>

A Lesson On Doing It Anyway with Katie Keating

The rules weren’t made for us, especially when it comes to doing business. Because the way women do business has changed: everything. They don’t get who you really are, or why you want to blow up a broken paradigm, but in the books of #herstory, your voice and vision mean everything. Voice Lessons Podcast taps the collective wisdom of soul-led, mission-driven entrepreneurs, like you. Women (and sometimes men) who have gone rogue and are building social, spiritual, and financial wealth for themselves, their families, and the world, differently.Author, producer, and entrepreneur Kim Kuhteubl talks to these unexpected founders about creativity, visibility, and the way that they lead offering her unapologetically feminine take on doing business. Be Visible. Speak your truth. Every other woman needs you to lead.

What a brilliant and beautiful way to celebrate and learn from creative feminists!!! Love this podcast so much!

This is the podcast we didn’t know we needed!

Can’t wait for more episodes. It’s like talking to a girlfriend.

Its’s like talking to a friend

The rules weren’t made for us, especially when it comes to doing business. Because the way women do business has changed: everything. They don’t get who you really are, or why you want to blow up a broken paradigm, but in the books of #herstory, your voice and vision mean everything. Voice Lessons Podcast taps the collective wisdom of soul-led, mission-driven entrepreneurs, like you. Women (and sometimes men) who have gone rogue and are building social, spiritual, and financial wealth for themselves, their families, and the world, differently. Author, producer, and entrepreneur Kim Kuhteubl talks to these unexpected founders about creativity, visibility, and the way that they lead offering her unapologetically feminine take on doing business. Be Visible. Speak your truth. Every other woman needs you to lead.

Voice Lessons Podcast

Ilana Ben-Ari

Where does creativity come from? And how do creatives, especially women, tackle failure? Ilana Ben-Ari talks about how she turned her creative vision into a business, despite the stigma that women and creatives are limited to just coming up with ideas. Why stop at invention, when you can build your own business? Find out how to tackle the fear of failure and use playful creativity and bootstrapping efforts to build something you can truly be passionate about. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:  How to take the leap and start your own business Can designers be business owners? Risk tolerance and how it plays a role in predicting economic, social and personality outcomes among women Failure and how the notion of failure directly impacts women’s’ decisions for their future Negative gender stereotypes in the workforce today Why perfection shouldn’t hold you back  The difference between running a business and maintaining a business How to nurture your creative gifts  Creative women and the notion of feminine leadership   #LESSONUP: (10:20) A massive new study of over a million people from 23andMe suggests that genetics makes some people more willing to take risks. More important than that though is that the research shows that environmental, demographic and of course cultural circumstances play a much more significant role in determining risk tolerance.  (11:24) High -achieving women in particular derive less confidence from positive feedback than men at the same caliber and negative feedback takes a greater emotional toll. From a cultural standpoint, when women are put in situations where they are aware of negative stereotypes about their gender, they become even more anxious about feeling and proving those stereotypes right.  (14:19 ) Calendar your creativity, calendar the blocks where you can have space because we need space as creatives to receive ideas. Now a lot of people will push back on that. I can't schedule my creativity and I'm like, yes, you can. Especially if you're running a business. It's part of your process and part of your creative discipline. You were given these gifts and so you have to nurture them in a certain way. (16:06) My thinking and the reason why the failure toy exists is so that we can just start talking about all the nuances of what we feel like when we talk about failure and what does failure mean? Failure can only exist if we have the definition of success and that's all posts can move. When you introduce competition, when you introduce new people, literally the context of the room, you can feel like you're winning in one room and you're failing in another room. The spectrum of just human beings and how we respond to risk and competition and blame and all of those things. But also there's a spectrum to failure. (17:34) Failure is simply the emission of required or expected action. It's not predictable, not boring. Failure can be a fluke. It's a pattern interrupt and sometimes it can be done right miraculous. Case in point, like these inventions that were made by mistake penicillin, the Slinky, post-it note, popsicles, the pacemaker and my favorite color mauve. Failure is not what you're looking for when you accept what is, but it will allow you to see. (18:41) There's so much that we can do if we ... definitely, as a woman, if I don't give up my power so easily, I really hold it. But I'm also able to ask for help and bring other people in and learn from them. (19:25) So I think that there's so much that we can actually accomplish and the biggest shift, I think the first step is just the mindset. You're allowed to start a business and you're allowed to have a successful business. There's a million obstacles in your way and it's important to be aware of those, but it's not impossible and I think a lot of people just opt out of that even being an option because they have this idea of what a real business person is. (22:15) So I would say as a toy designer, I live in the world of contradictions and friction and the idea that you're holding multiple truths at the same time and how they butt up against each other is where get creativity. I really believe the greatest creatives are the ones that can hold multiple truths and multiple energies at the same time and it's the friction that they create that leads to some really exciting inventions. (23:38) Designing a business is one of the most fascinating, exciting, interesting things to do and I think the majority of designers that exist, I don't know if they call themselves social entrepreneurs, but really true good designers search for the right problem so they don't ... our whole mantra is that you don't find a solution, you don't jump into the solution and go, this is what everybody wants and then sell and market it. You are constantly searching for the right problem and you're working towards the problem and really good design is human-centered. More in-depth show notes and shareables available at voicelessonspodcast.com.

Where does creativity come from? And how do creatives, especially women, tackle failure? Ilana Ben-Ari talks about how she turned her creative vision into a business, despite the stigma that women and creatives are limited to just coming up with ideas. Why stop at invention, when you can build your own business? Find out how to tackle the fear of failure and use playful creativity and bootstrapping efforts to build something you can truly be passionate about. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: <ul> <li>How to take the leap and start your own business</li> <li>Can designers be business owners?</li> <li>Risk tolerance and how it plays a role in predicting economic, social and personality outcomes among women</li> <li>Failure and how the notion of failure directly impacts women’s’ decisions for their future</li> <li>Negative gender stereotypes in the workforce today</li> <li>Why perfection shouldn’t hold you back </li> <li>The difference between running a business and maintaining a business</li> <li>How to nurture your creative gifts </li> <li>Creative women and the notion of feminine leadership </li> </ul> #LESSONUP: (10:20) A massive new study of over a million people from 23andMe suggests that genetics makes some people more willing to take risks. More important than that though is that the research shows that environmental, demographic and of course cultural circumstances play a much more significant role in determining risk tolerance.  (11:24) High -achieving women in particular derive less confidence from positive feedback than men at the same caliber and negative feedback takes a greater emotional toll. From a cultural standpoint, when women are put in situations where they are aware of negative stereotypes about their gender, they become even more anxious about feeling and proving those stereotypes right.  (14:19 ) Calendar your creativity, calendar the blocks where you can have space because we need space as creatives to receive ideas. Now a lot of people will push back on that. I can't schedule my creativity and I'm like, yes, you can. Especially if you're running a business. It's part of your process and part of your creative discipline. You were given these gifts and so you have to nurture them in a certain way. (16:06) My thinking and the reason why the failure toy exists is so that we can just start talking about all the nuances of what we feel like when we talk about failure and what does failure mean? Failure can only exist if we have the definition of success and that's all posts can move. When you introduce competition, when you introduce new people, literally the context of the room, you can feel like you're winning in one room and you're failing in another room. The spectrum of just human beings and how we respond to risk and competition and blame and all of those things. But also there's a spectrum to failure. (17:34) Failure is simply the emission of required or expected action. It's not predictable, not boring. Failure can be a fluke. It's a pattern interrupt and sometimes it can be done right miraculous. Case in point, like these inventions that were made by mistake penicillin, the Slinky, post-it note, popsicles, the pacemaker and my favorite color mauve. Failure is not what you're looking for when you accept what is, but it will allow you to see. (18:41) There's so much that we can do if we ... definitely, as a woman, if I don't give up my power so easily, I really hold it. But I'm also able to ask for help and bring other people in and learn from them. (19:25) So I think that there's so much that we can actually accomplish and the biggest shift, I think the first step is just the mindset. You're allowed to start a business and you're allowed to have a successful business. There's a million obstacles in your way and it's important to be aware of those, but it's not impossible and I think a lot of people just opt out of that even being an option because they have this idea of what a real business person is. (22:15) So I would say as a toy designer, I live in the world of contradictions and friction and the idea that you're holding multiple truths at the same time and how they butt up against each other is where get creativity. I really believe the greatest creatives are the ones that can hold multiple truths and multiple energies at the same time and it's the friction that they create that leads to some really exciting inventions. (23:38) Designing a business is one of the most fascinating, exciting, interesting things to do and I think the majority of designers that exist, I don't know if they call themselves social entrepreneurs, but really true good designers search for the right problem so they don't ... our whole mantra is that you don't find a solution, you don't jump into the solution and go, this is what everybody wants and then sell and market it. You are constantly searching for the right problem and you're working towards the problem and really good design is human-centered. More in-depth show notes and shareables available at <a href="https://www.bykimk.com/vl-landing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">voicelessonspodcast.com</a>.

A Lesson on Escalating Dares with Ilana Ben-Ari

Kim Kuhteubl

When her grandmother and her small dog died within months of each other, author Kim Kuhteubl was forced to learn about receiving in an unexpected way. In this deeply personal episode, you’ll learn about why women struggle with receiving and conflict, how women’s brains are structurally wired to explain these differences and why a practice of receive is essential to writing your narrative of “self-love”. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:   How to practice receiving, not just giving.   The balance between when giving is beneficial and when it becomes harmful.   How to take care of yourself, not just others.   Why some women feel unworthy of being taken care of.   What is a caregiver archetype and can natural caregivers learn to be better at receiving?   How women are actually wired to receive.   A daily lesson for receiving from Kim Kuhteubl.   How women lead differently.   #LESSONUP: (1:14) …your archetype is a portal to the deepest part of you, your authentic self. (2:03) You can talk yourself into believing that small efforts don’t matter when measured against the great challenges of the world but history is full of small actions that produced big results. One person’s small act of courage can spark massive transformation. (9:32) Not only do we worry about how others feel, but we also remember emotional events in great detail. It’s why you’ll often hear women say, ‘I don’t like conflict.’ Our brains are massively triggered by social rejection, and conflict puts us at odds with our urge to stay connected, to gain approval and nurture, so we would rather defuse it. (10:05) ...whether you are awake to it or not, women are receiving stations designed for high- level communication with the world around us. Receiving is not the problem. Receiving is automatic. Whether it’s verbal or non-verbal, visible or invisible, subconscious or conscious, we take it in. The more sensitive you are, the more you receive. So the problem is not that we don’t know how to receive, it’s our relationship to what we receive that is the problem. (12:35) Receiving is like breathing: required for living. You must receive the air back into your lungs after you exhale, otherwise, you will die. Allowing, opening, being magnetic these gifts of receiving that used to come naturally are vital for your wholeness. They are intimately connected to the fulfillment of your vision and to your increased prosperity. To love and be loved you must be able to receive because you cannot give what you do not have. Join Kim on Instagram Live at 12 pm PT every Wednesday to chat about the episode. More in-depth show notes and shareables available at voicelessonspodcast.com.

When her grandmother and her small dog died within months of each other, author Kim Kuhteubl was forced to learn about receiving in an unexpected way. In this deeply personal episode, you’ll learn about why women struggle with receiving and conflict, how women’s brains are structurally wired to explain these differences and why a practice of receive is essential to writing your narrative of “self-love”. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: <ul> <li> How to practice receiving, not just giving. </li> <li> The balance between when giving is beneficial and when it becomes harmful. </li> <li> How to take care of yourself, not just others. </li> <li> Why some women feel unworthy of being taken care of. </li> <li> What is a caregiver archetype and can natural caregivers learn to be better at receiving? </li> <li> How women are actually wired to receive. </li> <li> A daily lesson for receiving from Kim Kuhteubl. </li> <li> How women lead differently. </li> </ul> #LESSONUP: (1:14) …your archetype is a portal to the deepest part of you, your authentic self. (2:03) You can talk yourself into believing that small efforts don’t matter when measured against the great challenges of the world but history is full of small actions that produced big results. One person’s small act of courage can spark massive transformation. (9:32) Not only do we worry about how others feel, but we also remember emotional events in great detail. It’s why you’ll often hear women say, ‘I don’t like conflict.’ Our brains are massively triggered by social rejection, and conflict puts us at odds with our urge to stay connected, to gain approval and nurture, so we would rather defuse it. (10:05) ...whether you are awake to it or not, women are receiving stations designed for high- level communication with the world around us. Receiving is not the problem. Receiving is automatic. Whether it’s verbal or non-verbal, visible or invisible, subconscious or conscious, we take it in. The more sensitive you are, the more you receive. So the problem is not that we don’t know how to receive, it’s our relationship to what we receive that is the problem. (12:35) Receiving is like breathing: required for living. You must receive the air back into your lungs after you exhale, otherwise, you will die. Allowing, opening, being magnetic these gifts of receiving that used to come naturally are vital for your wholeness. They are intimately connected to the fulfillment of your vision and to your increased prosperity. To love and be loved you must be able to receive because you cannot give what you do not have. Join Kim on <a href="https://instagram.com/voicelessonspodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram Live</a> at 12 pm PT every Wednesday to chat about the episode. More in-depth show notes and shareables available at <a href="https://www.bykimk.com/vl-landing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">voicelessonspodcast.com</a>.

A Lesson In Receiving with Kim Kuhteubl

Sallie Holder

How do you create change when your starting point is success? It's a question that women wouldn't have been asking as little as a few decades ago, but as more of us move into traditionally male-dominated fields, many are wondering, isn't it selfish to want more? In this episode, Sallie Holder talks about her new book and what it means to hit “Rock Middle”. Find out how you can change your alignment if on the outside you “look" successful but on the inside, you are unfulfilled. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:  Is there a link between personal and professional growth? How to set your own individual and personal goals outside your corporate goals. How to cultivate bravery to speak the truth to yourself to make hard changes in your life. Southern expectations for women and how they are still present in many women’s lives today. How do you create change when your starting point is success?  How to listen to your inner voice when it’s calling for you to pick that path for your soul and what it wants you to do Why women blame ourselves when we feel something isn’t right. What is “stinking thinking”? Where do subconscious beliefs pertaining to women’s “roadmaps to success” come from? How women lead differently.  #LESSONUP (4:23) Have you ever been in your car and you were driving home one day and you intended to stop for an errand, whether it was run by the bank or go to the grocery store, but for whatever reason you're in a daze and you're driving, driving, driving, and then somehow you drove home without even thinking about it? So I equate the first 15 years of my professional career, like me just asleep at the wheel, driving in the car and I should have stopped for all of those errands and things. And had I been awake, I would have, but I wasn't. (6:51) I felt completely stuck, because I was in this successful career and how could I possibly leave when I was externally successful? (7:48) And for me that's what rock middle was, was that point where the two parts didn't align. And so you don't have to be in a position where you're wanting to change careers, or anything like that. It could be in a position where you're out of alignment and you know that you have more to give the world than what you're currently giving. (8:57) I think what's interesting is that if you think of middle, or if I thought of middle, if you think of mediocrity but it's actually not. It's excellence. You were achieving, in overachieving mode, which is what a lot of women do and they are looking for that fulfillment in the achievements. (11:15) We were all put on this earth todo something unique. And I believe that what we're here to do is figure out what that is and be able to give that gift not only to ourselves, but to the world. (12:10) My belief is that when you're doing the thing that you were meant to do, the work will be easier, you will flow through it faster, you will be able to give unique traits to it that no one else can give, that will make you stand out remarkably.  (17:07) I want people to know that it's not selfish to at some point question whether or not you're on the right path. Join Kim in our Facebook community at 12 pm PT every Wednesday to chat about the episode. More in-depth show notes and shareables available at voicelessonspodcast.com.

How do you create change when your starting point is success? It's a question that women wouldn't have been asking as little as a few decades ago, but as more of us move into traditionally male-dominated fields, many are wondering, isn't it selfish to want more? In this episode, Sallie Holder talks about her new book and what it means to hit “Rock Middle”. Find out how you can change your alignment if on the outside you “look" successful but on the inside, you are unfulfilled. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: <ul> <li>Is there a link between personal and professional growth?</li> <li>How to set your own individual and personal goals outside your corporate goals.</li> <li>How to cultivate bravery to speak the truth to yourself to make hard changes in your life.</li> <li>Southern expectations for women and how they are still present in many women’s lives today.</li> <li>How do you create change when your starting point is success? </li> <li>How to listen to your inner voice when it’s calling for you to pick that path for your soul and what it wants you to do</li> <li>Why women blame ourselves when we feel something isn’t right.</li> <li>What is “stinking thinking”?</li> <li>Where do subconscious beliefs pertaining to women’s “roadmaps to success” come from?</li> <li>How women lead differently.</li> </ul> #LESSONUP (4:23) Have you ever been in your car and you were driving home one day and you intended to stop for an errand, whether it was run by the bank or go to the grocery store, but for whatever reason you're in a daze and you're driving, driving, driving, and then somehow you drove home without even thinking about it? So I equate the first 15 years of my professional career, like me just asleep at the wheel, driving in the car and I should have stopped for all of those errands and things. And had I been awake, I would have, but I wasn't. (6:51) I felt completely stuck, because I was in this successful career and how could I possibly leave when I was externally successful? (7:48) And for me that's what rock middle was, was that point where the two parts didn't align. And so you don't have to be in a position where you're wanting to change careers, or anything like that. It could be in a position where you're out of alignment and you know that you have more to give the world than what you're currently giving. (8:57) I think what's interesting is that if you think of middle, or if I thought of middle, if you think of mediocrity but it's actually not. It's excellence. You were achieving, in overachieving mode, which is what a lot of women do and they are looking for that fulfillment in the achievements. (11:15) We were all put on this earth todo something unique. And I believe that what we're here to do is figure out what that is and be able to give that gift not only to ourselves, but to the world. (12:10) My belief is that when you're doing the thing that you were meant to do, the work will be easier, you will flow through it faster, you will be able to give unique traits to it that no one else can give, that will make you stand out remarkably.  (17:07) I want people to know that it's not selfish to at some point question whether or not you're on the right path. Join Kim in our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/voicelessonspodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> community at 12 pm PT every Wednesday to chat about the episode. More in-depth show notes and shareables available at <a href="https://www.bykimk.com/vl-landing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">voicelessonspodcast.com</a>.

A Lesson on Hitting Rock Middle with Sallie Holder

What does it take to be truly visible? How are you creating your own obstacles to fulfillment? What excuses are you making that are stopping you from being seen, heard and loved for who you truly are? Join Kim as she shares her definition of true visibility, and what it takes to be  “available” to receive what was destined for you. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:  Who are you hiding from? Visibility is not just being seen. It’s about being available. You don’t have to look for permission to pursue your desires.  You will receive back the energy you put into things.  Make space for the things that fulfill you and let go of whatever weighs you down with doubt. Your fear is your biggest obstacle into becoming visible and available to receive what was destined for you. How women lead differently.  #LESSONUP: (5:47) This legacy of invisibility, if silenced among women, is one that is so embedded into our culture and consciousness. Others won't see you, all of you, until you see yourself. (6:44)… that inner voice is not an impression. It's not what you think you know. It is your guidance. It's a voice that is beyond intellect, the ultimate wisdom. And although it may seem elusive or tricky, it's always available and always right. (8:01)  A woman who is cut off from her soul's desires is cut off from the highest vision of her life, because women's desires are the threads. They're like the fibers of her heart. (9:19) What if the fact that you had the desire was permission enough? Why would you have the desire in the first place if it wasn't meant for you, if it was impossible? When you focus on how they make you feel, which I hope they make you feel good, you get more of that. (9:55) Delay is not a denial. If you're focused on the fact that the desire has not come to you instead of the desire itself, then it's you that's holding it at bay. More in-depth show notes and shareables available at voicelessonspodcast.com.

What does it take to be truly visible? How are you creating your own obstacles to fulfillment? What excuses are you making that are stopping you from being seen, heard and loved for who you truly are? Join Kim as she shares her definition of true visibility, and what it takes to be  “available” to receive what was destined for you. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: <ul> <li>Who are you hiding from?</li> <li>Visibility is not just being seen. It’s about being available.</li> <li>You don’t have to look for permission to pursue your desires. </li> <li>You will receive back the energy you put into things. </li> <li>Make space for the things that fulfill you and let go of whatever weighs you down with doubt.</li> <li>Your fear is your biggest obstacle into becoming visible and available to receive what was destined for you.</li> <li>How women lead differently.</li> </ul> #LESSONUP: (5:47) This legacy of invisibility, if silenced among women, is one that is so embedded into our culture and consciousness. Others won't see you, all of you, until you see yourself. (6:44)… that inner voice is not an impression. It's not what you think you know. It is your guidance. It's a voice that is beyond intellect, the ultimate wisdom. And although it may seem elusive or tricky, it's always available and always right. (8:01)  A woman who is cut off from her soul's desires is cut off from the highest vision of her life, because women's desires are the threads. They're like the fibers of her heart. (9:19) What if the fact that you had the desire was permission enough? Why would you have the desire in the first place if it wasn't meant for you, if it was impossible? When you focus on how they make you feel, which I hope they make you feel good, you get more of that. (9:55) Delay is not a denial. If you're focused on the fact that the desire has not come to you instead of the desire itself, then it's you that's holding it at bay. More in-depth show notes and shareables available at <a href="https://www.bykimk.com/vl-landing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">voicelessonspodcast.com</a>.

A Lesson on Visibility with Kim Kuhteubl

Maria Nemeth

How does one live life luminously? Author, speaker, and coach Maria Nemeth discusses the difference between happiness and becoming truly luminous: a state of being. Can our hearts’ callings lead us to find true purpose and value? Listen and discover how transformational one’s own inner standards of integrity can be for finding meaning in life. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:  Happiness is an emotion, but Luminosity is a state of being. Let your callings lead you--even if the road is tough-- because it will give you a true sense of your purpose. How to embrace who you are, and use it to drive your life.  What is the concept of “trouble at the border” between our vision reality and physical reality The value of our inner standards of integrity and how to identify them. How ontological leadership transcends gender lines. How women lead differently   #LESSONUP: (5:38 ) … my 'advice' to people is that if ever you have something that looks like a calling, let it grab you because where it will lead you, up and down, you know, through wonderful times and difficult times, but there will always be a sense that you are doing what you're meant to be doing on this planet. And that, I say, is the true nature of healing. (10:55) A luminous moment sometimes can be happy, sometimes can have a little sadness attached to it. It's a state of being, and happiness is an emotion, and emotions come and go. You know, you can be happy and sad within the space of 20 minutes any given day, but a luminous moment stays because it latches onto your heart. (11:24) Luminosity is about living the life that you were meant to live without running yourself into the ground and driving those around you crazy. (13:23) And that's what women need more and more to be able to sink inside of ourselves, to see what it is we value and to be willing to claim it and use it on a day-to-day basis. (19:25) I say that we're at a point now, in our journey together as a species, where we have to learn to come together and recognize with both men and women, what are the values that really work, that we really need on this planet, at this moment, to handle some of the incredible issues that we're here to handle. Join Kim on Instagram Live at 12 pm PT every Wednesday to chat about the episode. More in-depth show notes and shareables available at voicelessonspodcast.com.

How does one live life luminously? Author, speaker, and coach Maria Nemeth discusses the difference between happiness and becoming truly luminous: a state of being. Can our hearts’ callings lead us to find true purpose and value? Listen and discover how transformational one’s own inner standards of integrity can be for finding meaning in life. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: <ul> <li>Happiness is an emotion, but Luminosity is a state of being.</li> <li>Let your callings lead you--even if the road is tough-- because it will give you a true sense of your purpose.</li> <li>How to embrace who you are, and use it to drive your life. </li> <li>What is the concept of “trouble at the border” between our vision reality and physical reality</li> <li>The value of our inner standards of integrity and how to identify them.</li> <li>How ontological leadership transcends gender lines.</li> <li>How women lead differently</li> </ul>  #LESSONUP: (5:38 ) … my 'advice' to people is that if ever you have something that looks like a calling, let it grab you because where it will lead you, up and down, you know, through wonderful times and difficult times, but there will always be a sense that you are doing what you're meant to be doing on this planet. And that, I say, is the true nature of healing. (10:55) A luminous moment sometimes can be happy, sometimes can have a little sadness attached to it. It's a state of being, and happiness is an emotion, and emotions come and go. You know, you can be happy and sad within the space of 20 minutes any given day, but a luminous moment stays because it latches onto your heart. (11:24) Luminosity is about living the life that you were meant to live without running yourself into the ground and driving those around you crazy. (13:23) And that's what women need more and more to be able to sink inside of ourselves, to see what it is we value and to be willing to claim it and use it on a day-to-day basis. (19:25) I say that we're at a point now, in our journey together as a species, where we have to learn to come together and recognize with both men and women, what are the values that really work, that we really need on this planet, at this moment, to handle some of the incredible issues that we're here to handle. Join Kim on <a href="https://instagram.com/voicelessonspodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram Live</a> at 12 pm PT every Wednesday to chat about the episode. More in-depth show notes and shareables available at <a href="https://www.bykimk.com/vl-landing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">voicelessonspodcast.com</a>.

A Lesson on Luminosity with Maria Nemeth

Wendy Pabich

Wendy Pabich, scientist, author, and self-proclaimed “water woman” joins Kim in a riveting discussion about how the natural, spiritual and world of science meet, and why understanding water as a woman’s issue is important for women leaders. What can the study of water teach us about our own minds, behaviors, and values? TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:   Water as “the great integrator, a connector, an agent of transformation”. The feminine nature of water. Why women leaders are more holistic thinkers. Cultivating a practice of creativity. What does it mean to be a “water woman”? Water is a feminist issue. What is the diamond/water paradox? How women lead and problem-solve differently. What is an aquifer and why are they in trouble? How can we reduce our water footprint?  (4:30) When you cultivate a practice of creativity, I think it helps you look at the world differently. (9:02) Water is a women's issue for women around the globe. That lack of water is a tremendous burden. Women collectively spend hundreds of millions of hours each day gathering water for domestic use. …It's dubbed the universal solvent for instability to dissolve more substances than any other compounds. So it, and it because it receives these compounds easily and again, from that feminine perspective, women are built to receive.  (15:04) Women that are empowered and embodied have a way of moving about and functioning in the world that's holistic and generative and creative. And we're able to integrate from all sorts of sensory input and emotion and imagery and use all these those in conjunction with our intellect to come up with really sort of holistic, creative, resilient solutions. (19:58)  …an even bigger issue is our water footprint. The idea of a water footprint is it's the water embedded in all the goods and products that we consume in our lives every day. (21:05) The diamond water paradox the idea that water is about the most precious resource we could have in our lives. You can live a couple of days without water. And yet we dramatically drastically undervalue it in the marketplace because we feel like it's a free resource. (27:02) Is there a length of time that this takes, as an example we're seeing right now because everybody is stuck in their homes in Italy, dolphins reappearing in the Venice canals because there's not very much pollution. Is there a quantifiable time that this takes to allow the earth to heal, to recharge, to do this? Can we do it fast enough? Join Kim on Instagram Live at 12 pm PT every Wednesday to chat about the episode. More in-depth show notes and shareables available at voicelessonspodcast.com.

Wendy Pabich, scientist, author, and self-proclaimed “water woman” joins Kim in a riveting discussion about how the natural, spiritual and world of science meet, and why understanding water as a woman’s issue is important for women leaders. What can the study of water teach us about our own minds, behaviors, and values? TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: <ul> <li> Water as “the great integrator, a connector, an agent of transformation”.</li> <li>The feminine nature of water.</li> <li>Why women leaders are more holistic thinkers.</li> <li>Cultivating a practice of creativity.</li> <li>What does it mean to be a “water woman”?</li> <li>Water is a feminist issue.</li> <li>What is the diamond/water paradox?</li> <li>How women lead and problem-solve differently.</li> <li>What is an aquifer and why are they in trouble?</li> <li>How can we reduce our water footprint?</li> </ul> (4:30) When you cultivate a practice of creativity, I think it helps you look at the world differently. (9:02) Water is a women's issue for women around the globe. That lack of water is a tremendous burden. Women collectively spend hundreds of millions of hours each day gathering water for domestic use. …It's dubbed the universal solvent for instability to dissolve more substances than any other compounds. So it, and it because it receives these compounds easily and again, from that feminine perspective, women are built to receive.  (15:04) Women that are empowered and embodied have a way of moving about and functioning in the world that's holistic and generative and creative. And we're able to integrate from all sorts of sensory input and emotion and imagery and use all these those in conjunction with our intellect to come up with really sort of holistic, creative, resilient solutions. (19:58)  …an even bigger issue is our water footprint. The idea of a water footprint is it's the water embedded in all the goods and products that we consume in our lives every day. (21:05) The diamond water paradox the idea that water is about the most precious resource we could have in our lives. You can live a couple of days without water. And yet we dramatically drastically undervalue it in the marketplace because we feel like it's a free resource. (27:02) Is there a length of time that this takes, as an example we're seeing right now because everybody is stuck in their homes in Italy, dolphins reappearing in the Venice canals because there's not very much pollution. Is there a quantifiable time that this takes to allow the earth to heal, to recharge, to do this? Can we do it fast enough? Join Kim on <a href="https://instagram.com/voicelessonspodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram Live</a> at 12 pm PT every Wednesday to chat about the episode. More in-depth show notes and shareables available at <a href="https://www.bykimk.com/vl-landing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">voicelessonspodcast.com</a>.

A Lesson On the Wisdom of Water with Wendy Pabich

Female entrepreneur advocate, mentor, and founder of the Selfmade Summit, Sigrun joins Kim to talk about her journey to entrepreneurship and what sets women leaders apart. How can we shatter the mindset that society has integrated into us, convincing us that women are limited? What excuses are we using to stop ourselves from pursuing our extraordinary dreams? TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:  How to be bold, speak up, and make a path to success for yourself.  What does the notion of jealousy say about the way women avoid following their dreams? Self-made Summit, and how it came to be. Sigrun’s journey to entrepreneurship. The narrative created by our culture that limits women from pursuing their dreams. How to use your passion as a platform to inspire and help other women.  Stop ignoring those “crazy ideas” and pursue them! How women lead differently.  #LESSONUP: (8:26 ) I was one of the first to lose my job because I was the one to speak up and ask questions like, why do we spend so much money and we don't make so much money? (10:37) I had no business background, no business education, but I got this crazy idea and it wouldn't leave me alone. And I think that when you have crazy good ideas, they come back no matter how much you push them away. (20:20) It's not the child that makes you give up your dreams. It's your relationship to your dream and the way you're trying to execute it. So, if you are too busy to do your passion and you say because of your child, that's putting extra blame and unnecessary blame on your child. That actually has nothing to do with them. (21:37) We just are very used to this narrative in the culture… but I believe if you're called to have a child and called to have a career, they feed each other, and that there is a way to navigate both. (29:03) I think women are fantastic leaders, and I think we need definitely more of them. It is shocking how few we have in the highest positions, and how somehow women stop trying to go for the top job. Join Kim on Instagram Live at 12 pm PT every Wednesday to chat about the episode. More in-depth show notes and shareables available at voicelessonspodcast.com.

Female entrepreneur advocate, mentor, and founder of the Selfmade Summit, Sigrun joins Kim to talk about her journey to entrepreneurship and what sets women leaders apart. How can we shatter the mindset that society has integrated into us, convincing us that women are limited? What excuses are we using to stop ourselves from pursuing our extraordinary dreams? TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: <ul> <li>How to be bold, speak up, and make a path to success for yourself. </li> <li>What does the notion of jealousy say about the way women avoid following their dreams?</li> <li>Self-made Summit, and how it came to be.</li> <li>Sigrun’s journey to entrepreneurship.</li> <li>The narrative created by our culture that limits women from pursuing their dreams.</li> <li>How to use your passion as a platform to inspire and help other women. </li> <li>Stop ignoring those “crazy ideas” and pursue them!</li> <li>How women lead differently.</li> </ul> #LESSONUP: (8:26 ) I was one of the first to lose my job because I was the one to speak up and ask questions like, why do we spend so much money and we don't make so much money? (10:37) I had no business background, no business education, but I got this crazy idea and it wouldn't leave me alone. And I think that when you have crazy good ideas, they come back no matter how much you push them away. (20:20) It's not the child that makes you give up your dreams. It's your relationship to your dream and the way you're trying to execute it. So, if you are too busy to do your passion and you say because of your child, that's putting extra blame and unnecessary blame on your child. That actually has nothing to do with them. (21:37) We just are very used to this narrative in the culture… but I believe if you're called to have a child and called to have a career, they feed each other, and that there is a way to navigate both. (29:03) I think women are fantastic leaders, and I think we need definitely more of them. It is shocking how few we have in the highest positions, and how somehow women stop trying to go for the top job. Join Kim on <a href="https://instagram.com/voicelessonspodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram Live</a> at 12 pm PT every Wednesday to chat about the episode. More in-depth show notes and shareables available at <a href="https://www.bykimk.com/vl-landing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">voicelessonspodcast.com</a>.

A Lesson on Crazy Big Ideas with Sigrun

Plenty of books offer left-brained suggestions about how you can save, invest and get out of debt but for a lot of people, the subject of money is emotional and intangible. If you’re a chronic under-earner or even if you earn good money, but have an income cap, changing your relationship to money has to do with one of these three things. Hint, it’s got nothing to do with giving up your morning latte.          TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:  How sale culture teaches you to reduce the value of your work. The top three ways you can shift your ability to bring more money in. Why women undervalue themselves. Why your creative energy is a powerful form of currency. How sale culture shows up in our negotiations. How lack energy has leaked into our careers, romantic relationships, and friendships. Questions to ask yourself before you “collaborate” with others or offer your creative services in trade   How to not operate from the scarcity mindset; the belief that we don’t have enough, will never have enough, will never be enough. The power of receiving  #LESSONUP (5:29) Women’s unpaid work subsidizes the cost of care that sustains families, supports economies and often fills in for the lack of social services. There is a legacy of people who profit from its value unconsciously and as women, we’re used it to it, immune to it. (7:09) Why not practice a new belief—and remember, beliefs are thoughts you practice over and over again. Why not practice a new belief that you are paid the full value of your services and that money flows in and out of your life and bank account when you need it. You’ve got nothing to lose. (10:42) Creative work, service work, women's work has LONG been devalued but creative women need not be complicit in the devaluation process. The ease with which your ideas flow to you and your desire to help people is your currency, your wealth. You can do amazing work AND get paid. You are SUPPOSED to get paid but to do that you have to start receiving. (12:01) Receiving is not your problem. Receiving is automatic. Whether it’s verbal or non-verbal, visible or invisible, subconscious or conscious, we take it in. It’s your relationship to receiving that is getting in the way, especially when it comes to money.  (15:03) Imagine if you spent all of your time focused on what you want instead of what you don’t? It is impossible to think two contradictory thoughts at the same time. What kind of woman would you be? What kind of bold, change-making, life-affirming, humanity-moving visions would be unleashed? Join Kim in our Facebook community at 12 pm PT every Wednesday to chat about the episode. More in-depth show notes and shareables available at voicelessonspodcast.com.

Plenty of books offer left-brained suggestions about how you can save, invest and get out of debt but for a lot of people, the subject of money is emotional and intangible. If you’re a chronic under-earner or even if you earn good money, but have an income cap, changing your relationship to money has to do with one of these three things. Hint, it’s got nothing to do with giving up your morning latte. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: <ul> <li>How sale culture teaches you to reduce the value of your work.</li> <li>The top three ways you can shift your ability to bring more money in.</li> <li>Why women undervalue themselves.</li> <li>Why your creative energy is a powerful form of currency.</li> <li>How sale culture shows up in our negotiations.</li> <li>How lack energy has leaked into our careers, romantic relationships, and friendships.</li> <li>Questions to ask yourself before you “collaborate” with others or offer your creative services in trade </li> <li> How to not operate from the scarcity mindset; the belief that we don’t have enough, will never have enough, will never be enough.</li> <li>The power of receiving</li> </ul> #LESSONUP (5:29) Women’s unpaid work subsidizes the cost of care that sustains families, supports economies and often fills in for the lack of social services. There is a legacy of people who profit from its value unconsciously and as women, we’re used it to it, immune to it. (7:09) Why not practice a new belief—and remember, beliefs are thoughts you practice over and over again. Why not practice a new belief that you are paid the full value of your services and that money flows in and out of your life and bank account when you need it. You’ve got nothing to lose. (10:42) Creative work, service work, women's work has LONG been devalued but creative women need not be complicit in the devaluation process. The ease with which your ideas flow to you and your desire to help people is your currency, your wealth. You can do amazing work AND get paid. You are SUPPOSED to get paid but to do that you have to start receiving. (12:01) Receiving is not your problem. Receiving is automatic. Whether it’s verbal or non-verbal, visible or invisible, subconscious or conscious, we take it in. It’s your relationship to receiving that is getting in the way, especially when it comes to money.  (15:03) Imagine if you spent all of your time focused on what you want instead of what you don’t? It is impossible to think two contradictory thoughts at the same time. What kind of woman would you be? What kind of bold, change-making, life-affirming, humanity-moving visions would be unleashed? Join Kim in our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/voicelessonspodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> community at 12 pm PT every Wednesday to chat about the episode. More in-depth show notes and shareables available at <a href="https://www.bykimk.com/vl-landing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">voicelessonspodcast.com</a>.

A Lesson on Money with Kim Kuhteubl

Shannon Watts

Shannon Watts was a stay-at-home mom folding laundry when she heard the news of the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary. It was at that moment that Shannon decided to get off the sidelines and encourage other women to join her, starting the largest grassroots movement in the country, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. Shannon and her army of mothers (and others) have bravely gone up against the gun lobby, proving that when you “fight like a mother” you can do anything you set your mind to. In this “Lesson on Doubling Down”, we talk about the business of building a movement. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:   How and why Shannon started Mom’s Demand Action (MDA).   How the organization dealt with the rapid growth of the movement. *As of 2018, Moms Demand Action had 761 local groups and 6 million supporters.   Every mom is already a multi-tasking organizer.   Movements are like startups.   The three things MDA focuses on that they believe will save the most lives.   Stand Your Ground is a gun law that is rooted in racism.   Gun violence affects everyone.   Dealing with criticism.   Using your losses to fuel motivation.   How to create a revolution in our current system and doubling down instead of backing down.   A major moment with Starbucks and Howard Schultz when Shannon trusted her gut.   How women lead differently in activism and political efforts.   Women lead with their maternal strengths.   Women are a political asset but they are scared to jump in.   Shannon’s spiritual practice.   How women with big visions can take the first step.   #LESSONUP: (5:01) I think that​ was a​ moment in America when so many people wanted to get involved in 2018 and we tripled in size as an organization​ and k have kept growing ever since. And we're actually larger now than the NRA. (5:25) We have over 375,000 donors now. And so that has enabled us to outspend the NRA in the last two election cycles. (7:30) I’ve been really focused myself on Ahmaud Arbery the last few days and the stand your ground laws that have made it possible for private citizens to be vigilantes. And I'm curious if those laws will come into focus for you guys at all. And if you know the statistics on keeping people safe by focusing on repealing those.  Yes. So I mean, we're still learning all the facts, but it sounds like one of the three DA's who the case was passed on to before arrests were made, was somehow claiming that, citizens arrest laws, open carry laws and even stand your ground laws, made these two white men within their rights to pursue and shoot Ahmaud Arbery. And you know, these laws are rooted in racism, especially stand your ground. We know they disproportionately impact people of color and too often they're used by white people to shoot and kill and ask questions later. So we fight these laws everywhere they come up and we work to roll them back where we can. (9:00) ​The ​bigger picture​ is that ​too much gun violence in this country impacts people of color, particularly black men and boys. And you really cannot talk about gun violence without talking about the systemic racism that causes it. (10:45) I think it's incumbent on our organization to involve all white women, Republican and Democrat alike to speak out and to get off the sidelines and to not just care about the school shootings and the mass shootings, which frankly are only about 1% of the gun violence in this country, but to care about the gun suicides and the gun homicides that happen in rural America and in city centers. And that's what we've done. We have been very committed to diversity, equality, and inclusion efforts internally as an organization and externally. And it is incumbent upon us to continue to learn and to listen and to hold up the work that others have done for decades. (11:06) Black women have been putting their literal bodies on street corners to stop bullets where they live and, and really their work has been invisible for too long. And so it is on our organization to make sure that that’s always a priority. (11:30) You don't get involved in social activism in this country, not expecting to lose or if you do, you're going to be sorely disappointed. I always say, this is a marathon, not a sprint. And incremental change has become sort of a dirty word. This idea of something being incremental that somehow if it's not an overnight revolution, it's not worth doing. And you know, if you spend any working on activism on the ground, you very quickly realize the system is not set up for an overnight revolution. (12:09) How do you create a revolution in our system? You do it by showing up for years and years and years, like drips on a rock and you do the heavy lifting, the unglamorous work of activism. And I think women in particular are cut out for that. (12:34) It's almost always women who are willing to stay the course and they play the long game and we lose a lot, but we win more than we lose. But if we, if we gave up every time we lost, we wouldn't have gotten this far. And so you have to come to see failure as feedback. It's not fatal. It's just a stepping stone and you have to look at how much you won when you failed, and then use that information to point you in the direction of winning. (16:10) Women worry that if we don't know enough, we can't just jump in. And I don't think men have that same gating factor. Women feel like they have to cross all the T's and dot all the I's and know everything and be perfect and not fail. And men just don't have that same concern about jumping in. I say in my book Fight Like a Mother, if you don't use motherhood as a tool for you, it will be used against you.  (17:59) This is just about restoring the responsibilities that go along with gun rights. We're not anti second amendment, we're not anti gun. Many of our volunteers are gun owners or their partners are gun owners. This is simply about replacing the responsibilities that the NRA has eroded for decades. (19:53) You talk about staying put as a seismic act, which I thought was really beautiful and that women go in and they knit and they breastfeed. And we've had this come up in conversations a number of times where women breastfeeding becomes an act of anarchy in some way. (20:52) And I am just so amazed by how organized women are and how industrious they are and how entrepreneurial and creative and innovative,​ ​the ideas they've come up with​ ​have been just spectacular over the last eight years. And it's, it's why we are where we are. (23:20) I had to decide, am I going to back down or am I going to double down? And I decided the ladder, I decided that I was not going to be silenced or threatened if I lost my kids. I had nothing left to lose and it really has become like white noise. I simply do not care. (26:28) If you're passionate about something, you will be good at it and you will find a way to bring your time and your talents. It doesn't have to be starting a national organization. There are many different ways to get involved in different things. But if you do want to start an organization, if it's in your neighborhood, your community, in your state, in the country, you can do it to.

Shannon Watts was a stay-at-home mom folding laundry when she heard the news of the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary. It was at that moment that Shannon decided to get off the sidelines and encourage other women to join her, starting the largest grassroots movement in the country, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. Shannon and her army of mothers (and others) have bravely gone up against the gun lobby, proving that when you “fight like a mother” you can do anything you set your mind to. In this “Lesson on Doubling Down”, we talk about the business of building a movement. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: <ul> <li> How and why Shannon started Mom’s Demand Action (MDA). </li> <li> How the organization dealt with the rapid growth of the movement. *As of 2018, Moms Demand Action had 761 local groups and 6 million supporters. </li> <li> Every mom is already a multi-tasking organizer. </li> <li> Movements are like startups. </li> <li> The three things MDA focuses on that they believe will save the most lives. </li> <li> Stand Your Ground is a gun law that is rooted in racism. </li> <li> Gun violence affects everyone. </li> <li> Dealing with criticism. </li> <li> Using your losses to fuel motivation. </li> <li> How to create a revolution in our current system and doubling down instead of backing down. </li> <li> A major moment with Starbucks and Howard Schultz when Shannon trusted her gut. </li> <li> How women lead differently in activism and political efforts. </li> <li> Women lead with their maternal strengths. </li> <li> Women are a political asset but they are scared to jump in. </li> <li> Shannon’s spiritual practice. </li> <li> How women with big visions can take the first step. </li> </ul> #LESSONUP: (5:01) I think that​ was a​ moment in America when so many people wanted to get involved in 2018 and we tripled in size as an organization​ and k have kept growing ever since. And we're actually larger now than the NRA. (5:25) We have over 375,000 donors now. And so that has enabled us to outspend the NRA in the last two election cycles. (7:30) I’ve been really focused myself on Ahmaud Arbery the last few days and the stand your ground laws that have made it possible for private citizens to be vigilantes. And I'm curious if those laws will come into focus for you guys at all. And if you know the statistics on keeping people safe by focusing on repealing those. Yes. So I mean, we're still learning all the facts, but it sounds like one of the three DA's who the case was passed on to before arrests were made, was somehow claiming that, citizens arrest laws, open carry laws and even stand your ground laws, made these two white men within their rights to pursue and shoot Ahmaud Arbery. And you know, these laws are rooted in racism, especially stand your ground. We know they disproportionately impact people of color and too often they're used by white people to shoot and kill and ask questions later. So we fight these laws everywhere they come up and we work to roll them back where we can. (9:00) ​The ​bigger picture​ is that ​too much gun violence in this country impacts people of color, particularly black men and boys. And you really cannot talk about gun violence without talking about the systemic racism that causes it. (10:45) I think it's incumbent on our organization to involve all white women, Republican and Democrat alike to speak out and to get off the sidelines and to not just care about the school shootings and the mass shootings, which frankly are only about 1% of the gun violence in this country, but to care about the gun suicides and the gun homicides that happen in rural America and in city centers. And that's what we've done. We have been very committed to diversity, equality, and inclusion efforts internally as an organization and externally. And it is incumbent upon us to continue to learn and to listen and to hold up the work that others have done for decades. (11:06) Black women have been putting their literal bodies on street corners to stop bullets where they live and, and really their work has been invisible for too long. And so it is on our organization to make sure that that’s always a priority. (11:30) You don't get involved in social activism in this country, not expecting to lose or if you do, you're going to be sorely disappointed. I always say, this is a marathon, not a sprint. And incremental change has become sort of a dirty word. This idea of something being incremental that somehow if it's not an overnight revolution, it's not worth doing. And you know, if you spend any working on activism on the ground, you very quickly realize the system is not set up for an overnight revolution. (12:09) How do you create a revolution in our system? You do it by showing up for years and years and years, like drips on a rock and you do the heavy lifting, the unglamorous work of activism. And I think women in particular are cut out for that. (12:34) It's almost always women who are willing to stay the course and they play the long game and we lose a lot, but we win more than we lose. But if we, if we gave up every time we lost, we wouldn't have gotten this far. And so you have to come to see failure as feedback. It's not fatal. It's just a stepping stone and you have to look at how much you won when you failed, and then use that information to point you in the direction of winning. (16:10) Women worry that if we don't know enough, we can't just jump in. And I don't think men have that same gating factor. Women feel like they have to cross all the T's and dot all the I's and know everything and be perfect and not fail. And men just don't have that same concern about jumping in. I say in my book Fight Like a Mother, if you don't use motherhood as a tool for you, it will be used against you.  (17:59) This is just about restoring the responsibilities that go along with gun rights. We're not anti second amendment, we're not anti gun. Many of our volunteers are gun owners or their partners are gun owners. This is simply about replacing the responsibilities that the NRA has eroded for decades. (19:53) You talk about staying put as a seismic act, which I thought was really beautiful and that women go in and they knit and they breastfeed. And we've had this come up in conversations a number of times where women breastfeeding becomes an act of anarchy in some way. (20:52) And I am just so amazed by how organized women are and how industrious they are and how entrepreneurial and creative and innovative,​ ​the ideas they've come up with​ ​have been just spectacular over the last eight years. And it's, it's why we are where we are. (23:20) I had to decide, am I going to back down or am I going to double down? And I decided the ladder, I decided that I was not going to be silenced or threatened if I lost my kids. I had nothing left to lose and it really has become like white noise. I simply do not care. (26:28) If you're passionate about something, you will be good at it and you will find a way to bring your time and your talents. It doesn't have to be starting a national organization. There are many different ways to get involved in different things. But if you do want to start an organization, if it's in your neighborhood, your community, in your state, in the country, you can do it to.

A Lesson on Doubling Down with Shannon Watts

Bellen Woodard

Eight-year-old Bellen Woodard is the only African-American girl in her third-grade class in a Virginia school. After a moment coloring made her feel unimportant, she had an idea to change the conversation by giving the “skin-color” crayon a new meaning. This idea has evolved into a movement and business called “More than Peach” that is giving people across the country a way to talk about identity, race, and inclusion and inspiring girls, and women, to use their voice for change. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:   What adults get wrong about little girls.   What happened in Bellen’s classroom and how she changed an uncomfortable conversation?   What is the “More than Peach” project?   Why Bellen isn’t afraid to speak up.   What are Bellen’s Palette Packets?   How Bellen has helped 2000 classrooms with her multi-cultural kits.   What it means for Bellen to be inducted into the Virginia Museum of History &amp; Culture.   Bellen’s advice from her mom.   How Bellen dealt with a first grader teasing her about her hair.   What makes an idea shift and turn into a movement?   How girls can lead at any age   #LESSONUP: (3:04) Every time we would color in school, they always ask for the skin color crayon and we all just knew that, oh the skin color crayon is crayon language for the peach crayon, not really thinking about what we were doing. (4:00) And then when I told my mom about this, she said: “how about you give them the brown crayon next time?” And I said, “I don't want to do that. Instead, I want to ask what color they want as it could be a number of any colors.” And that's what I did. And then everyone started actually telling me, “I want the peach crayon or I want the brown crayon.” (5:14) I want kids to feel like they can be kids and not feel excluded and have the best options. And how I'm doing that is I have my pallet packets, which include multicultural items and my very own, “More than Peach” crayons coming in June. I actually deliver them to schools and now I'm donating to senior centers because they can't see their families due to COVID-19, because they're more at risk. Everyone should be able to color. (5:30) My big goal is to get this not just around the country but maybe even around the world so people can know that they have their own skin color and it's okay if the peach one or brown one doesn't actually match you and if it doesn't, you can actually say something. (7:02) We went into the Virginia Museum of History &amp; Culture Museum and they decided to put one of my palette packets on display and a More than Peach tee shirt to be at the museum forever and ever. And that's really good because when I'm older, maybe people can start doing their own More than Peach project, making sure other people know that there's a skin color for everyone. (8:58) I need younger kids to stop asking for the skin color crayon, always assuming to get the peach crayon and actually telling them I want this... I actually want the peach crayon. (10:34) Be you. You are brilliant, be brilliant. And just know that if you want something to change, you should be the change and don't just hold it in for a long time. If it really bothers you, then make sure you say something because people may not think it's weird. They may actually think about it and say, you're right. I could imagine having the same hardship. (13:19) Maybe God made my hair crazy because I'm also all over the place, my hair is also all over the place. And how many of you will actually have matching personalities with their hair?

Eight-year-old Bellen Woodard is the only African-American girl in her third-grade class in a Virginia school. After a moment coloring made her feel unimportant, she had an idea to change the conversation by giving the “skin-color” crayon a new meaning. This idea has evolved into a movement and business called “More than Peach” that is giving people across the country a way to talk about identity, race, and inclusion and inspiring girls, and women, to use their voice for change. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: <ul> <li> What adults get wrong about little girls. </li> <li> What happened in Bellen’s classroom and how she changed an uncomfortable conversation? </li> <li> What is the “More than Peach” project? </li> <li> Why Bellen isn’t afraid to speak up. </li> <li> What are Bellen’s Palette Packets? </li> <li> How Bellen has helped 2000 classrooms with her multi-cultural kits. </li> <li> What it means for Bellen to be inducted into the Virginia Museum of History &amp; Culture. </li> <li> Bellen’s advice from her mom. </li> <li> How Bellen dealt with a first grader teasing her about her hair. </li> <li> What makes an idea shift and turn into a movement? </li> <li> How girls can lead at any age </li> </ul> #LESSONUP: (3:04) Every time we would color in school, they always ask for the skin color crayon and we all just knew that, oh the skin color crayon is crayon language for the peach crayon, not really thinking about what we were doing. (4:00) And then when I told my mom about this, she said: “how about you give them the brown crayon next time?” And I said, “I don't want to do that. Instead, I want to ask what color they want as it could be a number of any colors.” And that's what I did. And then everyone started actually telling me, “I want the peach crayon or I want the brown crayon.” (5:14) I want kids to feel like they can be kids and not feel excluded and have the best options. And how I'm doing that is I have my pallet packets, which include multicultural items and my very own, “More than Peach” crayons coming in June. I actually deliver them to schools and now I'm donating to senior centers because they can't see their families due to COVID-19, because they're more at risk. Everyone should be able to color. (5:30) My big goal is to get this not just around the country but maybe even around the world so people can know that they have their own skin color and it's okay if the peach one or brown one doesn't actually match you and if it doesn't, you can actually say something. (7:02) We went into the Virginia Museum of History &amp; Culture Museum and they decided to put one of my palette packets on display and a More than Peach tee shirt to be at the museum forever and ever. And that's really good because when I'm older, maybe people can start doing their own More than Peach project, making sure other people know that there's a skin color for everyone. (8:58) I need younger kids to stop asking for the skin color crayon, always assuming to get the peach crayon and actually telling them I want this... I actually want the peach crayon. (10:34) Be you. You are brilliant, be brilliant. And just know that if you want something to change, you should be the change and don't just hold it in for a long time. If it really bothers you, then make sure you say something because people may not think it's weird. They may actually think about it and say, you're right. I could imagine having the same hardship. (13:19) Maybe God made my hair crazy because I'm also all over the place, my hair is also all over the place. And how many of you will actually have matching personalities with their hair?

A Lesson on Using Your Voice with Bellen Woodard

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